China utilized a plethora of dual passport citizens to earn promotion. After reaching the top division, they dropped these players, and the result was immediate relegation.
China utilized a plethora of dual passport citizens to earn promotion. After reaching the top division, they dropped these players, and the result was immediate relegation.
China has tried many pathways to become competitive on the international women's hockey stage. It began with the Shenzhen Kunlun Red Star in the CWHL and then ZHL. Heading toward the 2022 Olympics however, China took a different tactic, they recruited hockey players of Chinese decent, or those who had played in China long enough to apply for a passport and citizenship to drive their program forward.
Stuck in Division IB of the World Championships, in terms of international competition, the plan paid off.
China brought in a large swath of talented players including Hannah Miller, Leah Lum, Anna Segedi, Kasundra Betinol, Camryn Wong, Tia Chan, Jessica Wong, Madison Woo, Taylor Lum, Rebekah Kolstad, Kimberly Newell, Racel Ilanes, and Anna Fairman. Of that group, multiple players had already competed under the IIHF banner at the U-18 World Championships representing Canada. At the 2022 Olympics, nine Chinese players recorded a point, with only Baiwai Yu, who recorded a single assist, making the list from players born and trained in China. Both goalies who played in the Olympics for China were also Canadian born and trained.
It's not a unique tactic. Many nations on the men's side have added players with ties to their nation for international competitions.
That same year in 2022, China rode the performances of these players to earn promotion from the Division IB tournament, and then the following year in 2023 earning promotion again from the Division IA group. It was the first time since 2009 that China would play in the top division of the World Championships.
It's why there was mass confusion in the hockey world this spring when China's roster was announced, and it did not include any of the players, 10 in 2022 and 8 in 2023, who China had relied upon for promotion at the World Championships.
In 2024, without their dual passport players, China managed points against Denmark and Japan, but was wildly outplayed, and were immediately relegated to Division IA.
Where China's plan didn't backfire however, is in the fact the group of players who were born and trained in China have certainly improved playing surrounded by North American talents in recent years.
For the IIHF however, the idea of a nation taking "rental" players to earn promotion and then getting rid of all of these players once promotion is earned, could be an item they wish to tackle. Nations are free to choose their national teams as they wish, but to say China brought half a roster weaker than what they fielded the past two seasons in lower divisions is a simple fact. Hannah Miller and Leah Lum are playing key roles in the PWHL, while Tia Chan, Anna Fairman, Anna Segedi, Kassundra Betinol, and Camryn Wong all played notable roles in the NCAA.
Fans will never know what could have been, but with those players on China's roster alongside the best from this year's group, China would have been a favorite to remain solidly in the top division for years to come.